1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to water sports, and more particularly to apparatus that enables a person to hydroplane across the water without using skis or a board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of equipment have been developed to enable people to use lakes and rivers for recreational purposes. For example, outboard and inboard motor boats are well known and in widespread use. Water skiing, in which a motor boat pulls a person wearing water skis, has been popular for a long time. Sailboats, canoes, and rowboats have also been used for pleasure for many years.
Recently, new types of water sports have become common. One example is sail boarding. In that sport, a person stands on a buoyant board, which supports a mast, boom, and sail. By maneuvering the mast and boom, the person can move across the water under wind power.
Another recent development in water sports is kite boarding. In that sport, a person stands on a buoyant board. He holds the power and control lines of an air foil or similar wing-like kite with his hands. The force of the wind on the kite is sufficient to pull the person across the water on the board.
Despite the thrills that can be obtained from sail boarding and kite boarding, they nevertheless have disadvantages. To kite board, for example, a person must be able to control both the kite and the board simultaneously. Gaining proficiency in that sport requires not only long hours of practice, but also great strength and athletic ability. Not all persons who would like to kite board are able to do so with reasonable proficiency. Nevertheless, those persons often desire to participate in a sport that combines the challenges of kite flying with the aesthetic appeal of moving across the water.